The Ankeny school district has alleged fraud and other misdeeds in a lawsuit against former Superintendent Matthew Wendt.The lawsuit was filed this week in Polk County District Court.The lawsuit says Wendt was offered a job in May as superintendent in the Oswego, Ill., school district. The lawsuit says that on the day after the offer, Wendt began to negotiate a severance package with the Ankeny district but didn't tell Ankeny officials that he had another job offer.Wendt said the agreement was mutually beneficial because Ankeny schools wanted him to leave.“The questions were never asked of me because it did not matter, that wasn't important. That's why it wasn't in the agreement. And so these are things the public should be aware of. This is the truth,” said Wendt.The lawsuit asks the court to void a contract that provided Wendt with more than $176,000 if he left the district.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

The Ankeny school district has alleged fraud and other misdeeds in a lawsuit against former Superintendent Matthew Wendt.

Advertisement

The lawsuit was filed this week in Polk County District Court.

The lawsuit says Wendt was offered a job in May as superintendent in the Oswego, Ill., school district. The lawsuit says that on the day after the offer, Wendt began to negotiate a severance package with the Ankeny district but didn't tell Ankeny officials that he had another job offer.

Wendt said the agreement was mutually beneficial because Ankeny schools wanted him to leave.

“The questions were never asked of me because it did not matter, that wasn't important. That's why it wasn't in the agreement. And so these are things the public should be aware of. This is the truth,” said Wendt.

The lawsuit asks the court to void a contract that provided Wendt with more than $176,000 if he left the district.